FOI release

ICT Budget/Spend: 2025/26, 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29

Case reference FOI2025/01055

Received 26 September 2025

Published 22 October 2025

Request

Q1. Can you please list the number of devices deployed by your organisation for the following?

Device Type

Number of Devices

Desktop PCs

 

Laptops

 

Mobile Phones

 

Printers

 

Multi Functional Devices (MFDs)

 

Tablets

 

Physical Servers

 

Storage Devices (for example: NAS, SAN)

 

Networking Infrastructure (for example: Switches, Routers, Interfaces, Wireless Access Points)

 

Security Infrastructure (for example: Firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Virus Monitoring Tools)

 

Q2. Does your

organisation have plans to procure any of the below services, if yes then please provide information in the below format?

2025/26 Spend/Budget

2026/27 Spend/Budget

27/28 Spend/Budget

28/29 Spend/Budget

Example: Customer Platform as a Service

1,000,000

 

200,000

 

a. Cloud computing Services

 

 

 

 

b. Cloud migration consultancy services

 

 

 

 

c. Customer Platform as a Service (PaaS)

 

 

 

 

d. Consultancy services to assist with local government reorganisation

 

 

 

 

e. Artificial Intelligence development services

 

 

 

 

f. Fully Managed IT Services

 

 

 

 

g. Digital Transformation and Strategy consultancy services

 

 

 

 

Q3. Does your organisation have any plans to procure the below solutions if yes then please provide required information in the below format?

2025/26 Spend/Budget

2026/27 Spend/Budget

27/28 Spend/Budget

28/29 Spend/Budget

Example: Software Licences

1,000,000

 

200,000

 

a. Software Licences

 

 

 

 

b. Telephony Solutions

 

 

 

 

c. Digital Asset Management solutions

 

 

 

 

d. Housing Management Solutions

 

 

 

 

e. ERP, Payroll and/or HR solutions

 

 

 

 

f. CRM and/or case management solutions

 

 

 

 

Q4. Can your organisation provide planned ICT procurement plans across software, hardware or services for the mentioned years? (Software Applications/Hardware Devices/mobile services)

2025/26 Spend/Budget

2026/27 Spend/Budget

27/28 Spend/Budget

28/29 Spend/Budget

Example: Hardware refresh

1,000,000

 

200,000

 

a. Infrastructure Hardware/MFDs/Laptops Refresh

 

 

 

 

b. Physical security systems or access control software

 

 

 

 

c. Network Infrastructure (WAN, LAN, etc.)

 

 

 

 

d. End user devices

 

 

 

 

e. Mobiles, voice and data services

 

 

 

 

f. Server and/or Storage

 

 

 

 

Response

I have attached a completed copy of the Excel spreadsheet you provided with your request.  It provides a response for all of your requests apart from this part of question 1: 

Q1. Can you please list the number of devices deployed by your organisation for the following?

Security Infrastructure (for example: Firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Virus Monitoring Tools) 

Having reviewed and discussed this part of your request with our ICT department, I can confirm the LFB holds this information, however we are choosing to withhold it from release via section 24 of the FOIA - National Security as disclosing the information requested would, or would be likely to, prejudice the purpose of safeguarding national security. Although the section 24 exemption applies, this is not an absolute exemption and LFB is required to consider a public interest test. This requires us to consider whether the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosure. I have set out our public interest test considerations for and against disclosure below: 

Considerations supporting disclosure:

  • the public's right to information held by public authorities.

  • disclosure would be consistent with government aims to improve accountability and transparency in the operation of public organisations.

  • it could be argued there is a public interest in the disclosure of information on ICT security infrastructure measures as it would provide the public with assurance that LFB’s IT systems are protected appropriately. 

Considerations against disclosure:

  • Whilst the public has a right to know that IT systems are secure from any external threats, supplying details of the infrastructure systems in place would give individuals key components needed to potentially weaken those security measures. 

  • Disclosing such details, may undermine our ability to secure our information and systems and this may harm our ability to secure the safety and security of the citizens and visitors of London and would not be in the public interest.

I therefore conclude that the public interest in maintaining this exemption and not disclosing information on security infrastructure outweighs the public interest in favour of disclosure. I believe that, should LFB disclose the information you have requested, it would, or would be likely to, prejudice any ongoing work that may be taking place to enhance our systems and defend them from attack. 

Documents

This is London Fire Brigade's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.